1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a waterproof lens having a transparent member mounted to a front end of a lens barrel in a water-tight fashion.
2. Description of Related Art
There is known a waterproof camera which does not allow water to go into the camera and can take pictures in shallow water. There is also known a water-resistant camera which resists against the penetration of drops of water or rain into the camera. Such a known waterproof or water-resistant camera includes a light intercepting flange which is provided on the inner peripheral edge of the front end of a lens barrel to intercept light between the inner periphery of the lens barrel and a taking lens. The light intercepting flange extends to the outer peripheral surface of the taking lens from the inner periphery of the lens barrel. Consequently, the space between the inner periphery of the lens barrel and the taking lens is closed by the light intercepting flange when the camera is assembled. Accordingly, it is impossible to adjust an internal mechanism of the camera without disassembling the camera.
In particular, in the case of a water-resistant compact camera having a built-in zoom lens, it is necessary to provide a means for effecting the focus adjustment in order to increase the light sensitivity of the optical system of such a small camera after the camera has been assembled because an error in adjustment may occur in the initial assembly process. However, it is impossible to insert, for example, a special adjusting jig into the lens barrel from the front end thereof to effect focus adjustment after the camera is assembled because of obstructions by the light intercepting flange, for example, inside the camera.